Upcoming changes to minimum wage announced in British Columbia

On February 26, 2026, the British Columbia Government announced upcoming changes to minimum wage rates – going into effect on June 1, 2026 – with the general minimum wage increasing from $17.85 to $18.25 per hour.

The BC Government has made regular increases to the minimum wage since 2017, an intentional attempt to create a more predictable increase schedule and bring BC’s minimum wage on par with the rest of the country – efforts that have been largely successful.

The increase is intended to keep BC workers in pace with inflation and help mitigate the effects of rising costs of living, applies not only to the general minimum wage, but to specialized minimum wages (e.g. resident caretakers, live-in home-support workers, live-in camp leaders and piece-rate agricultural workers) as well. In addition, the special minimum wage for app-based ride hailing (e.g. Uber) and delivery service (e.g. SkipTheDishes) workers will be adjusted as well, increasing from $20.88 to $21.89 per hour of engaged time.

The lawyers in the MLT Aikins Labour and Employment team, one of the largest in Western Canada, have wide-ranging experience advising employers in Western Canada. Employers in British Columbia seeking guidance minimum wage considerations should contact a member of our Labour and Employment team or the author of this article.

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